Shared Lives week 2020

We already know that Shared Lives carers do an incredible job, opening up their homes and sharing their lives to create kinder, stronger communities.

In recent times Covid-19 has brought this into focus even more sharply. Many households have had to adapt and deal with the extra pressures created by lockdown – either practical or financial. We think this is all the more reason why we should celebrate, raise awareness and thank Shared Lives during #SharedLivesWeek 2020, so…here are some of the things we are doing!

We are encouraging all our carers and Shared Lives schemes to set up ‘virtual’ tea parties, to help bring them together during Covid-19. Households will be joining together via Zoom to share a cuppa, some tasty treats and hopefully add a competitive element as well: we’re suggesting prizes for best looking cakes, hats and outfits, or maybe a quiz or karaoke!

We are also encouraging local community groups to set up their own tea parties to help raise funds for our carer support line.

Following the success of our fantastic friends at Shared Lives Stoke, we are creating a UK wide singalong to the uplifting anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. Carers and those they look after will be recording their own versions of the classic song, which we will be piecing together into a UK-wide choir of Shared Lives singers!

If you want to take part in this, all you’ll need is your phone, this film so we are all in time, and your heart and soul! Send us your videos and we will do the rest.

We will be supporting Shared lives households to open up their homes (virtually) to local MPs, commissioners or directors of adult social services, to find out more out the amazing work they do every single day.

We have also been providing Shared Lives schemes and individual carers with a range of supporting materials to help them deliver the best #SharedLivesWeek possible. This includes access to template letters, social media frames and images, even a beginners guide to Zoom to help them host their events online!

We’ve also launched our Shared Lives Plus awards to coincide with #SharedLivesWeek 2020. These were held for the first time at our annual conference in Liverpool last year and were a huge success. If you know of any inspirational stories from carers or Shared Lives workers in your area, please do let us know!

You can nominate yourself or someone you think has made a difference.

We hope that, despite the current limitations, #SharedLivesWeek 2020 will be the best yet. If you are a carer, Shared Lives scheme, community group, business or journalist and want to know more about Shared Lives week please do get in touch.